Art Studio 111

Introduction to visual concepts. Development of skills needed to produce expressive drawings.

Note(s): ARTS 111 and/or ART 205 may be taken twice for a total of six hours credit.

Detailed Description of Course Content

Art 205 is a competency based course in drawing. It introduces a student to the conceptual and manipulative basics of drawing. These fundamentals are divided into four areas. The first area is concerned with technical facts about materials and tools and the skills to learn for using them to satisfy creative needs. Competency in this area is peripheral to or supportive of expressive drawing but will not be considered central to it. The remaining three areas deal with concepts and skills central to the development of drawings that give expression to personal vision.

They are:

1). Description Elements. The ability to perceive and graphically state a subject's planes and structure, lines, values, masses, directions or movements, spatial relationships and size relationships.
2). Abstract Conditions. The ability to establish visual relationships and forces among parts and elements of a drawing which give it an effective expressive order.
3). Empathy and Expression. The ability to respond to the dynamic and emotive qualities of a visual phenomenon and graphically demonstrate that personal vision.
The human figure and the still life are the primary subjects of study. Drawings are to be from "life" and established "master" drawings.

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Much of the class instruction will be received through supervised studio experiences. Most of a student's time will be spent drawing. Drawing exercises are designed to develop, enhance and sustain the skills which bear upon the drawing process. The primary task of the instructor is to correct faults, suggest improvements, and point out successes in a student's drawing while he is drawing.

To form the habit of perceiving, thinking about and using visual concepts a student will be given regularly scheduled out-of-class assignments that require the repetition of conceptual and manipulative skills learned in class.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

The FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE of this course is to permit a student to develop skills for making effective expressive drawings. To do so a student must be able to see and then graphically state the essential conditions of subjects (structural, gestural, tonal, etc.) and establish visual and expressive interactions among the parts of drawings. Equally important, drawings must be conceived in ways that allow other people to experience the artist's insight into a subject's objective and emotive qualities. That is, the student must be concerned with demonstrable skills.

Upon successful completion of Art 205 the student will demonstrate:

1). The ability to see, feel and graphically describe the gestural character of subjects. (One to five minute drawings from the live model, critical analyses of master drawings, "empathy" exercises.)
2). The ability to use line to state spatial and structural conditions and describe the rhythmical and directional energies of subjects. (Study of directional axes and edges of objects, contour and cross-contour drawing exercises, planar analysis exercises, perspective exercises, "master" studies, gesture drawing exercises.)
3). The ability to correctly state the size, shape and location of the parts of a subject. This includes the ability to perceive and draw the perspective or foreshortening principles at work in a view of a subject. ("Compare, locate and measure" studies, structural analysis studies, "flat" shape studies, studies of the directional axes and edges of objects, contour studies, anatomy studies, gesture drawings, clay modeling, positive/negative shape studies, research.)
4). The ability to use value to show the local tone and texture of objects to show illumination, to create shapes and volumes, and to create mood. (Chiaroscuro studies, renderings, "painterly" drawings, study of "master" drawings, structural analysis exercises, "eraser" drawing exercises.)
5). The ability to see and establish similarities and contrasts, tension and harmony among parts of a drawing in ways that effectively convey expressive interests, balance and unity. (Critiques, study of "master" drawings and paintings, lectures, readings and observations. Exercises emphasizing the compositional function of art elements and the potential forces among parts of drawings. Exercises emphasizing the compositional function of art elements and the potential forces among parts of drawings. Exercises emphasizing the descriptive and EXPRESSIVE function of drawing marks.)
6). The ability to respond to and graphically describe the emotive character of the subject. (Gesture drawings, sustained study of a subject.)
7). A working understanding of human anatomy. (Drawing from the clothed and unclothed model, study of the muscles and skeleton of the human body, study of "master" drawings.)
8). Openness to the range and nature of wet and dry media and their expressive potentials.
9). The ability to critique art works using universally acceptable criteria. (Vocabulary study and testing, verbal critiques, readings, and short lectures.)

Assessment Measures

A variety of interrelated factors are considered in assessing a student's performance within the objectives of the course. First, a student's drawings must demonstrate the objectives of specific drawing assignments. Second, the instructor determines the student's level of competency for all the objectives of the course as demonstrated by a portfolio of in-class and out-of-class work. This review puts greater emphasis and importance on the drawings done in the final quarter of the semester which presumably demonstrates a student's highest degree of accomplishment.

"Critical skills" will be determined by a student's participation in verbal critiques and/or written critiques.
Lastly, enthusiasm for learning and openness to improving skills influence the final grade. To determine this the following questions will be asked. Did the student's work as a whole demonstrate a serious effort to improve skills and understand concepts? Was he open to new ideas and suggestions for improvement? Did the student do all assigned problems? Was he rarely if ever absent? Did he come on time and work the full class period? Did he put out the maximum that he was capable of, rather than the minimum that he could get away with?

Other Course Information

The student will be expected to verbally critique his own work and the work of other students. The student will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of studio safety and courtesy. The student will be expected to acquire and bring to class the proper tools and materials for all exercises.